DB Heating & Cooling, Inc. Blog : Archive for August, 2014

How Can a New Thermostat Improve AC Performance?

Monday, August 25th, 2014

Your thermostat is responsible for telling your air conditioner when to cycle on and off. It also tells your AC what temperature to maintain. Doesn’t it make sense that you should have a thermostat that is accurate and reliable? Thermostats can age and wear just like any other part of your air conditioning system, and if your thermostat starts to malfunction, it can wreak havoc on your system and your indoor comfort. In addition, today’s thermostats are made to be more efficient, so holding on to that old dial or slide thermostat may be costing you money in monthly energy bills. A new thermostat installation in Waldwick can have a number of benefits, and DB Heating & Cooling has several options from which to choose.

Types of Thermostats

There are 3 main types of thermostats from which to choose:

  • Digital
  • Programmable
  • Smart

How Do Thermostats Improve AC Performance?

Digital

One of the most important aspects of upgrading to a digital thermostat is the precision at which you can set it. Dial and slide thermostats are imprecise and can be off – sometimes by 2-3 degrees. In addition, mercury-based dial thermostats have to be properly calibrated, or your temperatures could be way off.

Programmable

Programmable thermostats allow you to set how you want to cool (or heat) your home in 7-day time periods; you can leave a specific program on a continual loop or change it as needed. With programming, you can accommodate for times of low-or-no occupancy in your home, weekends and even vacation time periods. This helps reduce your energy usage as well as the operation time of your AC.

Smart

Smart thermostats use wireless technology, so your thermostat can be accessed and programmed from any smart device at virtually any time. This gives you tremendous control over your cooling (and heating), as well as data on your energy usage.

Upgrading your thermostat can help with comfort, energy efficiency and the performance of your air conditioner.

Is it time for you to consider the installation of a new thermostat in Waldwick? Call DB Heating & Cooling and schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.

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How Do Energy Management Systems Work?

Monday, August 18th, 2014

To run a business profitably requires watching over all of your expenditures. You may not realize it, but your company’s building might be costing you extra money through energy waste. With the amount of work that a building does on a daily basis, it is easy for systems to begin to operate inefficiently and expend energy on non-essential work.

The best way you can maximize energy efficient for your building is through installing an energy management system (EMS) that centralizes your control over the different systems in your building and reduces the amount of power they waste. You will also be able to keep track of your savings over time.

Installing an EMS is complicated and takes the work of Emerson, NJ commercial energy management professionals. To learn about how you can have an EMS set up to start saving money for your company, call DB Heating & Cooling today. We install energy management systems throughout the Bergen County area.

EMS operation

Every EMS is different, depending on the size and purpose of the building in which it is installed. There are some basic principles that most of them share, however.

An EMS is a computer-controlled building automation system that centralizes tracking of energy use of the various power-consuming systems throughout the structure: the heating and cooling, ventilation, lighting, air filters, and electrical loads in each facility. The computer provides real-time data for each area, allowing managers to make immediate decisions about how to maximize energy use for their facility. It also analyzes the data over time so you can make larger decisions about how to lower the energy consumption in the building and then compare performance over time.

In addition to energy tracking, an EMS tracks environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and pressure, and how equipment operation affects them. The system can activate and deactivate equipment to facilitate problems with energy use.

Most energy management systems run through wireless Internet technology, which means that you have access to the controls and real-time and historical data from anywhere that you have an Internet connection. You have access from almost any location to all the pertinent data about the energy use of your building, and the ability to control the systems remotely.

The intricacy of an EMS means that only trained professionals can correctly wire them into a building. For handling your commercial energy management in Emerson, NJ, look to the experience of DB Heating & Cooling.

Along with installation of an EMS for your company’s building, we are available 24/7 for repairs and maintenance—whatever you need to keep your building energy-efficient all of the time.

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Important Upgrades for Your Air Conditioner in Bergen County

Monday, August 11th, 2014

You may feel that your air conditioner still has plenty of years left before it needs replacement. But that doesn’t mean you have to settle for you AC’s current level of performance. You can install upgrades that will increase its performance and efficiency, making your home more comfortable and lowering your utility bills. For an air conditioning system that is running well, but which you think could run even better, look below for some upgrade suggestions.

The best way to find out about all the available upgrades that may benefit your cooling system is to contact experts. We take our commitment to our customers very seriously, and we will strive to see that you have the best comfort possible.

Schedule an appointment with our staff at DB Heating & Cooling today, and we will help you discover the best ways to improve your air conditioning in Bergen County, NJ.

Updated thermostat

One of the simplest ways to get more from an AC is one that homeowners often overlook: installing a new thermostat. It’s common for people to keep the same thermostat around while changing out the air conditioning system. But you cannot get the top performance from a new AC unless you have precision controls for it. A new digital thermostat will eliminate the margin of error that’s frequent trouble for manual thermostats. Programmable models will help you save energy by automatically turning cooling off when you aren’t home and then turning it back on before your come back. New wireless models allow for easier placement and remote control. Ask technicians about all the advantages of the new types of thermostats available.

Zone control systems

When you turn on a central air conditioner, it cools down all the rooms attached to its ventilation system, no exceptions. This will waste energy if many of the rooms have no one in them, such as an empty extra bedroom. But if you have a zone control system installed into the ductwork, you can independently control the temperature in different parts of your home (the different “zones”) thanks to dampers and individual thermostats. You will not only save money, you’ll have a more even distribution of heating, and your guests can adapt the temperature in their rooms to suit their personal needs.

A new condenser

If you want the benefits of a high-efficiency air conditioner, you can choose to replace only the outdoor unit (the condenser) of your AC. This costs less than replacing the entire system and can substantially reduce cooling bills.

Keep in mind that you will eventually need to replace the entire air conditioning system. If your AC is starting to struggle on a regular basis with maintaining its cooling power, or if it is suffering too many repair needs, then you shouldn’t look into upgrades, but a new installation. If you are unsure about your AC’s future, call on the experts at a company like DB Heating & Cooling. We will help you learn if you need upgrades, repairs, or a replacement for your air conditioning in Bergen County, NJ.

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What’s Involved in Duct Cleaning?

Monday, August 4th, 2014

In the U.S., people spend on average 85% of their time indoors. Unfortunately, the quality of indoor air has dropped over the last half century as homes and buildings become more sealed against energy loss. The same stale air circulates through ventilation systems, and soon dust, dirt, and other unpleasant contamination builds up inside ductwork.

This is why regular duct cleaning is so important. It helps eliminate this major region of pollutants that gathers in a home and contributes to lowering the quality of the air its residents breathe. Duct cleaning provides other benefits as well, such as taking stress away from air conditioners and heaters by allowing air to flow easier through the ductwork.

Duct cleaning is a skilled job that requires professionals. Call DB Heating & Cooling to schedule duct cleaning in Bergen County from an experienced indoor air quality team.

How professional duct cleaning is done

The basic concept behind cleaning an extensive ventilation system in a home where most of the ducts are difficult to access is to use a power vacuum to change the pressure within the ducts. This dislodges contaminants from the duct walls, and then the vacuum uses suction to draw them out of the system. To do this job, professionals seal up all the vent registers in a house to close off the ductwork, then attach an enormous power vacuum onto the HVAC system where it leaves the air conditioner/heater.

Duct cleaning can also target specific places within the ducts that have more serious levels of dirt buildup using agitation equipment and smaller vacuums. The technicians remove vent registers and send in special rotary brushes to scrape away ground-in dust and dirt without damaging the duct walls. Special ductwork vacuums then suction away the loose particles.

During duct cleaning, technicians take note of any serious issues within the ducts, such as leaks or the development of potentially dangerous molds and biological growths. After they finish the cleaning, they can recommend repairs or the installation of UV germicidal lights to treat these situations and make sure the ducts are in the best condition possible.

How often should I schedule duct cleaning?

If more than two years have gone by since you had your last duct cleaning—or if you can’t remember ever having duct cleaning—you need to call professionals right away. In general, homes will benefit from a cleaning every two years, although it depends on the level of dust and dirt that enters the home. Some houses need it more often, some less. Your duct cleaners will help you find out how frequently your home should have the work done.

Call us to learn more about how we can provide your home with healthier air.

DB Heating & Cooling offers a number of services to help you achieve better indoor air quality in Bergen County, from duct cleaning to humidifier/dehumidifier installation.

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